Envelope feeder



E. C. HESS ENVELOPE FEEDER Dec. 16, 1930.

Filed April 12, 1929 Patented Dec. 16, 1930 Are EDWARD C. HESS, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA unset r rare ENVELOPE FEEDER Application filed April 12,

My invention relates to envelope feeders of the type wherein envelopes or the like are supported and guided into position to facilitate the handling of the same.

While the invention is hereinafter described as employed in connection with the handling of envelopes, it will'be understood that it is susceptible of use in connection with various other articles. I

One object of my invention is to provide an improved holder and feeder for envelopes of such form that the envelopes are automatically presented, one by one, into position for convenient removal from the holding device.

Another object of my invention is to provide a holder of such form that envelopes or the like can be expeditiously removed therefrom, one by one.

One form which my invention may take is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a feeding device or holder for envelopes and Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View thereof.

The apparatus comprises chute portions 4, a baseboard 5, and a standard or supporting post 6, the supporting post being mounted in a socket 7 and vertically adjustable therein, in order to position the discharge or lower end of the chute at a desired height, as for instance, immediately above the rear side of a typewriter.

The chute members 4 are counterparts so that a description of one will suffice for both. Each of the chute portions has a bottom plate 8 that may be formed integrally therewith. A clamping plate 9, preferably of spring steel, rests upon the bottom plates 8 and is firmly held in clamping engagement therewith by means of a thumb nut 10, which protrudes upwardly from the post 6, and therefore holds the chute firmly in position upon the base plate 5. By loosening the thumb nut slightly, the chute portions 4 can be slid toward or away from one another in order to accommodate envelopes of various lengths.

Envelopes are placed in the chute through the open top thereof and are preferably weighted by a block 11 that is freely slidable in the chute, so that it may exert a constant pressure on the envelopes contained in the means of rods 17 whose outer ends are sup-i:

1929. Serial No. 354,555.

chute. The uppermost envelope is indicated by the numeral 12, and the lowermostenvelope by the numeral 13, it beingunderstood that the space between such envelopes 12 and 13 is completely filled with other envelopes.

As the envelopes are removed, one by one, at the point 13, the succeeding envelopes will advance downward and be guided from the generally horizontalposition at 12 to the'approximately vertical position at 13, by means. 1

of curved guide plates 14, and front guide plates 15.

A sleeve-like roller 16 is supported between the vertical sides of the chute portions 4, by

ported in the side wallsby means of studs 18. These studs have screw-threaded engagement with the rods so that the parts can be conveniently assembled and disassembled. When the parts 4 are slid apart to accommodate longer envelopes, the vinnerends of the rods 17 will be separated somewhat, but each rod will still extend: a sufficient distance into the roller 16 to adequately support the same.

Each side wall has secured thereto a spring clip or finger 19 that projects slightly over the exit end of the chute to limit outward movement of the lowermost envelope 13, while the lower edges of the guide plates 15 are bent as indicated at 21, to prevent the upper edges of the envelopes from bulging outwardly and causing the envelopesto partially encircle the roller 16, thusv facilitating withdrawal of the envelopes. For use with wider envelopesv than those shown on the drawing, the guide plates 15 are vertically adjustable by means of set screws 22 whose shanks extend through slots 23 in the front wall of the chute and have threaded engagement with the plates 15, so that such plates can be adjusted up and down according to the width of envelopes being placed in the chute. The side walls of the chutes are perforated as at 24, to permit of the roller 16 being moved upwardly when the guide plates 15 are moved up to accommodate wider envelopes.

When a quantity of envelopes have been placed in the chute and the weight 11 put in position, the lowermost envelope is permitted to move to the position 13-, being guided thereto by the plates 14 and 15. The fingers 19 and the roller 16 retain such envelopes in position and the envelopes are so placed that the flaps 13a thereof will be directed upwardly in position to be grasped by the fingers of the operator. A slight pull will withdraw the envelope past the fingers 19 and from behind the roller 16, and it may then be dropped into the feed rolls or a typewriter that is conveniently placed with respect to the chute.

As the envelopes are withdrawn,'one by one, the weight of the upper envelopes and of the block 11 will effect a slight advance movement of the envelopes remaining in the chute so that one envelope will always be in the position 13.

- I claim as my invention 1. In a dispensing device, the combination with a chute having a delivery opening at the lower end and in one side wall thereof, one wall of said chute curving toward the lower end of said opening, and an instrumentality in said chute for causing horizontally placed articles in said chute to be delivered to said opening in a vertical position.

2. An article dispensing device comprising a chute having a rear wall and a front wall provided with a discharge opening adjacent the bottom thereof, said front wall having an article engaging surface inclined inwardly and converging downwardly towards said rear wall to constitute with said rear wall a gradually narrowing chute terminating at said opening, and means at said discharge article engaging surface inclined inwardly and converging downwardly towards said rear wall to constitute with said rear wall a gradually narrowing and thence widening chute terminating at said opening and constituting at its narrowest portion means for abruptly changing the angle of position of the articles to be dispensed, and means at said discharge opening for arresting the movement of the articles to permit removal of c said articles.

to permit slightly forcible removal of the articles dispensed.

5. A dispensing device comprising a chute having a front wall with an opening adjacent to the bottom thereof, an inner front guiding plate leading to said opening and adjustably set at an angle from said frontwall of said chute and forming a slope, the rear wall constituting in combination with the guiding plate a gradually narrowing chute, and means employed in connection with said front guiding plate to adjust its position, increasing or decreasing its slope as desired.

In testimony whereof I, the said EDWARD C. HESS, have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD C. HESS.

than the upper end thereof, to retard the movement of articles through the chute, and

vstop means at the opening in the front wall 

